Australia is home to a great many pied birds. (There is a theory that they evolved because of the strong contrasting light between the bright sun and shade). Like Willie Wagtail (see Iconic Australian Birds) one of the most widespread of these is the Australian Magpie, shown above. Found wherever there are trees and open stretches of ground they are sparse only in the most arid interior regions. Somewhat surprisingly Australian Magpies sing beautifully. The song is rich and mellow, and the birds carol solo or in family groups.
(Move mouse over images below to enlarge or view captions).
(Move mouse over images below to enlarge or view captions).
Top row. l to r: Magpie Larks are abundant and have adapted well to man-made environments. You will often see them on grassy roadsides in towns and cities. Magpie Geese are found on tropical flood plains in the northern regions. They often flock by the thousands. Australian Pelicans have the characteristic pelican shape, with the huge pouch-like beak in which they corral fish.
Bottom row, l to r: Pied Oystercatchers are found along the coastal beaches and mudflats, where they forage for oysters and other marine life along the water line. Strictly speaking Sooty Terns are not Australian birds, as they roam the Indian and Pacific Oceans, usually far out from land. But they nest on the cays and islands of Australia's Great Barrier Reef as well as off-shore islands of Western Australia. The Australian White Ibis has the distinctive ibis shape with a clean white body, bare black head and black tips to the flight feathers. They are abundant in some parts, especially wet places such as the margins of water bodies and both urban or rural irrigated areas. They like garbage dumps too and places with urban litter, and are an opportunistic nuisance in public parks, taking picnic food!
Bottom row, l to r: Pied Oystercatchers are found along the coastal beaches and mudflats, where they forage for oysters and other marine life along the water line. Strictly speaking Sooty Terns are not Australian birds, as they roam the Indian and Pacific Oceans, usually far out from land. But they nest on the cays and islands of Australia's Great Barrier Reef as well as off-shore islands of Western Australia. The Australian White Ibis has the distinctive ibis shape with a clean white body, bare black head and black tips to the flight feathers. They are abundant in some parts, especially wet places such as the margins of water bodies and both urban or rural irrigated areas. They like garbage dumps too and places with urban litter, and are an opportunistic nuisance in public parks, taking picnic food!
Like the Australian Magpie (top of page) the Pied Butcherbird (l above) is a hunter, often taking other birds as prey. They are wonderful songsters. Their slow, flute-like mellow song is lovely to hear, and seems out of character for such a relentless, powerfully equipped hunter. Superficially similar but much larger and with a more massive beak and blacker body, the Pied Currawong (r above) is also a hunter, taking birds, small reptiles and insects as well as scavenging and feeding on carrion. Notice the distinctive hook at the end of its beak. The name captures their rhythmic gurgling song. They are found in eastern Australia from north to south.
Right: an adult Pied Heron. These dainty herons are found in coastal wetlands of Northern Australia, such as floodplain pools, billabongs, swamps, wet pastures and mudflats. The pied plumage is neat and crisp, the cap dark and there are cascading plumes from the head down the back in breeding season, very attractive.
There are a great many more pied birds in Australia, these are just a representative selection from various habitats.